


Father Christmas’ grotto

by softlyspoken



Series: it’s the most wonderful time of the year [1]
Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas Fluff, M/M, your son forcing you to see santa and then sort of having a thing for him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21859885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlyspoken/pseuds/softlyspoken
Summary: robert is forced into sitting on father christmas’ knee when seb reckons he’s found the real deal
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: it’s the most wonderful time of the year [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1574866
Comments: 14
Kudos: 107





	Father Christmas’ grotto

**Author's Note:**

> this is the first of 5 fics which will be posted everyday until Christmas Eve!

  
Robert’s not sure how much more he can take of the Christmas music in this shopping mall but he’s trying not to show it. He’s got fairy lights shining in his face and he’s pretty sure he’s left hand is numb from holding all the bags he’s got.

There’s also a four year old tugging down on his arm like he wants it to pull off.

“Seb, it’s home time. We said.”

They _said_ , because Seb’s eating a gingerbread man he so desperately desired and Robert had made sure he understood that it signalled home time. He’s not sure how much a four year old knows about consequences of actions but he’s trying to teach him what he failed to know until he was suddenly a dad.

Seb just looks up at him like he’s mad, like the thought of leaving this Christmas filled Hell hole is inconceivable. 

“We said.” Robert says, again, but then he’s completely lost to the sight of an elf coming his way. Not an elf, of course not an elf, it’s just some blond with green eyeshadow on and her hair in pigtails.

“Oh. Who do we have here?”

“Seb. Sebastian.” Robert’s surprised he’s not handed over his address too because Seb has no idea what _not_ speaking to strangers actually means. He steps forward, almost gives her a little twirl and it makes the elf’s eyes flutter.

“Would you like to go see ...” Robert can feel it coming, he knows, he _knows_ she’s going to mention Father Christmas and he wants the ground to swallow him up.

“He’s fine.” Robert misses the way he could easily chuck Seb over his shoulder and power walk in the opposite direction. Now Seb protests, asks _why_ about ten times and tries kicking Robert’s back in to make his point clear.

Seb’s not fine until he sees the back of some bloke in a big red costume and a stupid hat on his head. He gasps, like he genuinely believes it’s all real and then he breaks out into this run that has Robert chasing after him.

Seb’s little legs get him right up towards the poor sod until he’s pulling on his leg and looking up at him like he’s everything.

“Are you really him?” Seb’s mouth is wide open, his gingerbread man is half eaten and soggy from the way he refuses to eat the head. He holds it in his mouth and thinks he’s hurting him. He’s sensitive, he blames Rebecca fiercely.

The guy in the suit looks down at him and Robert focuses on his eyes. He looks young, almost stupidly young to be having to do all this. He has creases around his eyes, deep and soft and then he looks at Seb, leans right down to him after a second.

“What do you think mate?”

“Yeah. Of course you are.” Seb shrugs and then leans to drag at the bloke’s beard. “See. It’s real.” He looks up to Robert. “Daddy, it’s really real.”

The man almost laughs, tilts his head up towards Robert. “Does daddy not believe?”

Robert shakes his head. “Daddy doesn’t think there’s any need to tell stories.” He never has, he’s always been that guy who said he wouldn’t tell his kids about Father Christmas because there’s no need to.

“It’s the honest truth.” Seb says, he stamps his foot and sends his gingerbread man towards the floor.

Robert sighs, bends to pick it up as pretend Father Christmas goes to do the same. For a second, a hand brushes over his and the guy looks right at him. There’s this sudden and very real feeling of _something_ that makes Robert stumble back to his feet.

He’s holding a wet soggy biscuit and he looks like an idiot but he doesn’t look away from the man until the elf is back and asking if he wants to sit on his knee.

“Do I what?” Robert clams up, absolutely has no idea why he’s getting into such a state.

“Think Tracy meant the kid.” The bloke’s happy and friendly voice is out the window as he looks at Robert, smirks. “Would you like that?”

And it costs him, of course it costs him, to watch Seb sit on some random bloke’s lap with a hat on and a fake beard. Only Christmas.

Robert watches from the side, sees how animated Seb is as he talks about what he knows he’s going to get. It starts with a toy tractor and then somehow gets all the way up to a puppy.

“A puppy?” The guy’s voice is back, all soft and sweet and Robert stares a little too fondly at the way he’s supporting Seb’s back as he bounces him. He’s probably done this hundreds of times, he’s probably a natural.

“What would mummy and daddy say to that?”

“Daddy would say no.” Robert chimes in, arms folded as he watches and leans up from the glass window.

Seb rolls his eyes, and Robert is certain that’s Vic’s influence over him. He plays with his hands for a second like he’s really thinking. “Mummy and Tom could both say yes.”

“Tom?” Not so Father Christmas asks. “That your brother?”

Seb giggles, deep and playful and he shakes his head. “That’s mummy’s boyfriend.”

Robert watches as the man looks right at him, he’s sure he sees a smirk, he definitely sees something and it makes him tilt his head down like he’s a little girl. He’s all shy and stupid and the guy is still wearing a stupid white beard.

“Well. How about ... I see what I can do.” 

It’s enough for Seb to throw his arms around the man’s neck, squeeze tight like he’s never going to let go. The elf comes back to take a picture and that’s when he eventually pulls away. Just in time to flash a smile at the camera and wave his arms out for Robert to join them.

He does, painfully. He fakes a smile and watches pretend Father Christmas throw a glance his way.

After, Seb’s nearly in tears about having to go and the man runs a hand through his hair, tuts like he’s sorry. “It’s alright mate, you can come again soon can’t ya?”

Seb nods, thinks it’s completely normal to hug the man’s poor leg and Robert apologises.

“You don’t have to ...” He stammers, all bright red, sounding nervous and like the Father Christmas in him has faded out. “It’s fine. Kids are kids aren’t they.”

Robert nods, manages to wave as he puts Seb on his shoulders. “Thanks.” He says, for some reason. It’s not like Seb’s not a happy kid but there was something about him chatting away to a pretend Father Christmas that made him seem happier.

The guy tilts his head. “Bye.” He says, and then he’s being summoned by the elf again.

Robert watches him turn back and knows he has to run towards the bakery again to keep Seb from having a breakdown. He gets him another gingerbread man, watches him wince as he removes the legs like the things about to come to life.

“After this it’s home time. OK?” 

Seb just nods like he knows it won’t be and Robert has really raised an absolute tyrant. He even smirks. Robert shakes his head at him before he stops and looks at the man ordering at the till. He knows who it is almost immediately.

The man seems to know as well, cautiously steps forward towards them both.

“You’re ...”

“FC?” The man nods. He’s wearing normal clothes, a green jumper and a pair of jeans and absolutely no white beard in sight. He looks a lot like someone Robert could want.

Robert takes a second before nodding. “Right.” 

“Aaron.” Aaron gulps hard, skirts a finger around the rim of his coffee cup and then smiles. “When I’m not ...” He looks at Seb. “Him.”

Robert smiles. “Robert.” He looks at Seb, fully engrossed in how to tackle the head of the gingerbread man. “This is Seb.” He says, realising the elf might not have said.

Aaron’s eyes almost light up in this really soft way.

“Seb, say hello.”

Seb looks up, offers a curious look. “Me and daddy saw Father Christmas.”

“Did ya?”

“Yeah. We even got a picture.” Robert suddenly remembers how they didn’t get it printed and then Aaron seems to produce it from his pocket. It’s some Christmas decorated envelope and Seb’s eyes widen.

“Left it behind.” Aaron passes it to Robert.

“How’d you’d know we’d come back for it.”

Aaron’s nose is pink now. “I didn’t.” He says. “Maybe I saw you come in.” He shrugs. The way he looks at Robert is definitely something, he stares and stares until Seb pipes up.

“Santa’s getting me a puppy.”

Robert closes his eyes for a second. “You have no idea what you’ve done.” He says, but he’s smiling. He’s actually smiling.

Aaron pulls a face, bends down to Seb. “Maybe he’ll get you something he thinks you need more.” He says. Seb looks at him and then smiles.

“Do you know him?”

“Yeah. Of course I do.” Aaron says, he puffs out his chest and he’s so _easy_ with them. “I’m one of his lead helpers.” Seb frowns and then Aaron goes and pulls out a bell from his jean pocket, it’s tiny and jingles and Seb looks like he’s in awe again.

“It’s from his sleigh.” Seb says, with so much confidence that Aaron laughs. 

“Sure it is.” Aaron looks at Robert, then back at Seb. “Why don’t you keep it.”

Robert shakes his head. “No, it’s ...”

“It’s fine.” Aaron shrugs and looks at Seb. “But take care of it OK?” Seb nods and then he’s getting up and holding Aaron’s leg for the second time in the space of an hour. Aaron holds the back of his head like he doesn’t know what else to do and then Seb’s running around the place shaking the bell.

Aaron stands over Robert until Robert stands. “That was really ... nice.”

“So’s he.” Aaron says. “Not all kids ...”

“Talk so much?”

Aaron just pulls this face. “Make me not actually hate doing the whole Ho Ho Ho thing.” He almost laughs again and Robert stares down at the ground feeling like something inside him is bursting.

“Holiday job then?”

“Doing a mate a favour.” Aaron settles on saying after a second. “A big one but ...” Aaron gulps hard and then stares into Robert’s eyes. “Wouldn’t have met you otherwise. Can’t be all bad.” He flushes completely red and Robert bends his head to stifle a laugh. “I mean ...”

“I know what you meant.” Robert says, looks up at Aaron again and sees this kindness he’s never known in someone before now. “Maybe I could ... take your number or something.”

The or something hangs in the air until Aaron’s saved on his phone under FC.

“Cool.” Aaron says, “Sound.” He itches an eyebrow and then steps back, almost hits a chair as he waves to Seb and then turns to leave before stopping. “You did mean ... for like a date yeah?”

Robert has shared custody of a four year old boy, lives in a dingy flat and really had decided to write off Christmas until right this minute. He nods, breathes out a yes.

FC is changed to Aaron on his phone only a week later. They date or whatever and Aaron really is the kindest person Robert has ever met. He’s also not bad in bed. He’s round for Christmas, makes Seb really think Father Christmas has personally visited him this year.

Two years later, it’s Robert’s turn to don a not so stupid anymore white beard and watch Seb gasp at the present his dad’s holding as he sits on Aaron’s shoulders. There’s a puppy licking Robert’s palm but he doesn’t really care because Aaron’s still here, and his and kissing him on the lips and he’s _happy_.

So Christmas shopping with a four year old can have its perks.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed, if you did please pop a comment below!


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